The Battle Continues

Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to stand your ground.”

Epheasians 6:13-17

Note of Warning: The following is from a deeply female, mom perspective. But I’ve peeked through my fingers at many movie battle scenes with knights, etc. It is also acknowledging that half of the battle is in our own heads….

The Battle in this passage has moved from a 1-on-1 of “wrestling” to a full out armed battle.

Our Hope…our Light in the midst of the darkness, is God Himself, and all that He has provided. He wants us to be safe….to feel safe! He has even provided armor to protect us and help us feel secure enough to fight. He wants us to win….not to be victims to the dangers, the evil of this world. His Armor is offered. Our part is to take it…and to put it on. With His Armor, we will be able to stand strong, without fear of what is happpening around us or what is to come. He doesn’t throw us out on the battlefield of this life with a “Good luck.”

The opponents listed are daunting:

rulers, authorities and powers of darkness, and

spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world.

The armor that God supplies for us to take and use includes:

The Sword of the Spirit : God’s Word, which cuts and separates Truth from lies The Breastplate of Righteousness: Protection for our hearts by all that is Right by God’s Design

The Belt of Truth: Belts go around waists….pretty vulnerable part of our bodies. Ever have a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach just thinking about something? God offers to wrap His Truth around that queasy, emotionally affected part of us. His Truth can protect our vulnerable worries and upsets that make us feel “sick” inside.

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace: His Good News has been handed to us to carry it to others. He’s given us Shoes that are meant to “go”….not sit under the bed. We have Good News…the BEST News…to bring to a hopeless world. Peace. Peace of heart….peace of spirit….peace of mind….peace with others. Where can you find that in this world?

Shield of Faith: Faith is not physically visible. But it is as real as anything tangible. It is a force that can be present in the scariest of circumstances. It is stronger than anything tangible. Faith resides within us….takes the brunt of the blows of this world….regardless of what appears to be real. It is an invisible, solid-as-iron link between me and Him that protects my heart and soul from all the Enemy throws at me;

Helmet of Salvation: My brain….my “Thinker”….the core of WHO I AM….God puts His Helmet over that part of me, to protect my thoughts, my understanding, my beliefs. It saves me from

Who I am if not for His intervention in my life. That Helmet protects me from the troubled thoughts and wrong beliefs that would wreak havoc with me if not for His Truth penetrating that old Thinker.

Sword of the Spirit: God’s Word, which He has given to us….we are privileged to hold it in our hands, read it with our eyes, put it into our minds, and allow it to sink into our deepest parts. A SWORD is no small object. It’s nothing to play with. A sword is heavy. . .its weight has to be used with a strength that has built up. It’s as much a weapon of defense as it is offense. A sword extends far beyond a hand’s reach. It’s meant to cut….cut through all the lies and harm that comes at us pointed at our minds, hearts, and body. Its use has to be up close to the Enemy…eye to eye…not at a distance. God’s Sword can cut through it all. It is Truth. But unless we hold it tightly in our hands and have learned how to use it, it is of no help to us. God’s SWORD is not meant to simply be on display in a glass case or on a wall.

I had a friend who, in her own frustration with the life struggles that seemed to always be at her door said to me, “I see everyone else putting on all their pieces of God’s Armor, but I’m still struggling in my closet to even open the box!”

It’s worth the struggle! No armor is “easy” to put on. No armor feels good…it might hurt…it may inhibit our sense of “freedom” to move. Putting on armor takes time. It takes time and practice to learn how to move about with it on….how to effectively…wisely… use it.

But when the battle comes, you will be deeply grateful you had it on. It will save your life.